Michael’s Jewelers has satisfied customers for nearly five decades.
Michael Kanoff, owner of Michael's Jewelers and native of Yardley, says he was working in wholesale jewelry in Atlanta when he remembers getting a phone call from his father, a jeweler, telling him that part of 5-miles of woods in Lower Makefield was being transformed into a shopping plaza, making it a good place to expand. "Dad asked if I'd like to come home and open a store there with my family, and we've been in the Oxford Oaks shopping center since it opened in 1997," he says, noting the location branched from the business' launch in Fairless Hills during 1976.
Though the business handles jewelry of all kinds, Michael indicates the focus has been on weddings, where team members help brides-to-be and future grooms select perfect wedding rings. One current trend is men’s wedding bands in alternative metals, of which Michael’s has plenty of unique and creative choices.
The Michael’s team runs a large sales promotion in May, dubbed as a “Bridal Event,” to dovetail what's historically the most popular month for engagements, and of course, the lead into wedding season.
Completing the full-service loop, Michael’s professionals also offers jewelry and watch repair, something that's become a niche market with fewer area repair shops. The store's team also provides an educational web-based blog and robust social media presence, keeping the community informed of what’s new and fresh.
Michael studied at the Gemological Institute of America, deeming him an industry expert in gems. "My goal is to stay a step, or two, ahead of competitors with offerings and updated assortments. We want to be the first to carry new options," he says.
Top flight service from the store is paramount, asserts Michael. There's an on-site jeweler with state-of-the-art equipment. "This special, individual service from us is in high demand and is what separates us from other jewelers," he adds.
Jewelry is a family business by trait, with Michael's grandfather being a watchmaker and his father, Lenny, a jeweler by trade who opened Michael’s Jewelers 46 years ago, naming it after his son and future business partner.
Michael says he loved jewelry as a kid, and early on knew it was his path forward. He moved up in the ranks at the family store, beginning by running errands, he remembers. After finishing high school, he says he worked his way up in jewels starting external to the family business, selling for other jewelers and working the circuit as a wholesaler -- all until he got the life-changing phone call from his dad. The rest, as they say, is a historical gem.
1619 Big Oak Road, Yardley
215.944.5900
JewelryByMJ.com
“The best part about what I do honestly is the people. There are so many people that we sold to for generations. Little kids would come in with their parents to help buy a gift, and then they come back, all grown up, to buy engagement rings and wedding bands.” ~Michael Kanoff, Yardley resident and businessman
